WSU quarterback Connor Halliday is sacked by Oregon's Wade Keliikipi in a game last month.

Ted S. WarrenAP Photo

There's not a lot to cheer about this season if you're a college football fan in Washington.

Both the University of Washington and Washington State have been struggling. KPLU sports commentator Art Thiel says nowhere is that more evident than at the position of quarterback.

UW's Price feeling loss of key players

Art says the Huskies have been plagued by injuries and they're still feeling the loss of key players from their team a year ago. That's left quarterback Keith Price vulnerable.

"They've had a tremendous loss of talent in the offensive line. Injuries and graduations have left nothing but freshmen and sophomores to try to protect Price. I suppose the biggest void is in the backfield where Chris Polk was one of the great running backs in the history of the University of Washington. He left after his junior year to go to the NFL."

'Superhero mentality'

Art says they're missing so many parts that Price is trying to do too much.

"It's Price's personality to want to be the ultimate teammate, the answer to everybody's problems. He gets this superhero mentality, I guess, because he's overdoing things. He's trying to make too many plays."

Last season Price set the all-time UW record for touchdowns in a single season, with 33. At this point a year ago he had 21 of those. This year he has seven.

"That's really a lot of diminished production from the quarterback spot. It's not all due to him but a lot of things have impeded this and left Washington at 3-3."

WSU in similar fix

Things aren't any better over in Pullman. Keith Price is ranked the 11th quarterback in the Pac-12. WSU quarterback Connor Halliday is ranked 12th.

There's been a struggle this season as to who's going to lead the Cougars - with new head coach Mike Leach waffling between sophomore Halliday and senior Jeff Tuel. Art says that's really unsettled their offense.

"It's remarkable to see that the Cougars who normally are very offensive oriented - we expected a great passing spectacle from Leach - have had to rely on their defense, which is not that good but it's better than the offense right now. So, both Huskies and Cougars who normally produce quality quarterbacks have got nothing going in the Pac-12 this year."

UW plays Arizona in Tucson Saturday night. WSU has a bye this weekend.